


Back to Basics

by FrankiValerie



Series: After Omega [7]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Biotic Training, Classes, Grissom Academy, Students, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-28
Updated: 2016-07-28
Packaged: 2018-07-27 07:52:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7609873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankiValerie/pseuds/FrankiValerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I'm not all that happy with the second half of this chapter because i changed a lot of it, to fit the new direction of the story.  </p><p>Again, it needs written so here it is.  </p><p>Caleb, Ajax, Rory and the doc are characters created by @Tortuga_rebel on twitter. </p>
            </blockquote>





	Back to Basics

In the morning Jack took – or more like dragged – Caleb back to the medwing at 6.30am.  While the matron checked him over and made a few quick notes for the doctor back on Caleb’s ship, Jack called Lady’s pilot.

“Ajax?” she strained to hear for him on the other side.  The comms had been picked up but no one seemed to be on the other side.  Until she heard a deep, loud snore. 

“AJAX!” she barked and heard a snort, a clatter, some cursing and then Ajax eventually replied; “Whaaaaaat?” 

“Ortez needs picked up from the Academy.  Send a shuttle for him.” 

Ajax took a moment to reply, so long Jack thought he might have fallen asleep again and was just about to start yelling when he said, “Can’t you bring him back?” 

His sleepy drawl was so irritating – it made Jack miss the Normandy’s always alert pilot.  If it were Shepard who’d needed a pick up…

“I got a class in half an hour, asshole, send someone to pick up your fucking Captain! He’s got 2 broken ribs for fuck sake!” 

“Captain’s not back yet?” a female voice spoke next, just a little further away from the console than Ajax.  Jack heard footsteps close the gap and then the voice was much louder, and firmer “Where is he?” 

“He’s still with me on the Academy-”

“Who’s ‘me’?” the female’s voice asked, interrupting Jack.  

“Who’s you?!” she snapped back, hearing Ajax mutter something she didn’t catch. 

The other voice didn’t answer her question, “I’ll come get him.” Then cut the connection.  

Jack didn’t have any idea who the other woman was but she had a powerful urge to slap a bitch. 

She hadn’t come across any women during her scout of Lady when she first got on board, except for the Doctor who, Jack guessed, was in a very committed relationship with Ajax.  And who had a much better attitude than _that_ bitch. 

She returned to Caleb who was done being checked over and was carefully pulling his shirt back on.  

“Someone’s coming to pick you up.” 

Caleb frowned, “Who?” 

Jack shrugged stiffly, “Wouldn’t give me her name.  Just said she’d come get you.” 

“Rory,” he said, nodding, “Tech specialist.  Only one it could be.  She say a time?” 

Jack shook her head, “Regardless we need to get down there and give docking control a heads up.  And I gotta get to class after that.” 

Caleb stood and gestured for her to lead the way, smiling.  

Even at this time in the morning the docking bay was busy.  Maintenance classes ran from 2am so the kids could get used to alliance rotas and shifts.  

Jack knocked on the window of docking control and a skinny boy with a buzz cut and freckles poked his head through the door next to it. 

“Jack! Good morning,” he chirped, smiling brightly, “Glad to see you’re back, how was your time on the Normandy – beautiful ship that one, the collaborative design is legendary of course – Is Commander Shepard well? Did you get into any good fights out there? I hear Shepard is doing a real good clean up job out there-” 

“Slow down, Evan,” Jack was smiling at the boy so brightly and genuinely, “I just wanna give you a heads up.” She nodded to Caleb, “This is Caleb Ortez, he’s a guest of mine.  Someone from his ship is coming to pick him up.” 

“Your ship?” Evan looked to Caleb and beamed wider, “That the 2nd gen frigate in orbit? It’s a 41XC4 model right? Y’know those things were discontinued in 2176 because crew members were being burned alive in the maintenance ducts, but turns out it was a piece of tubing you could just cut right outta there no problem and--” 

Jack interrupted him again, “Evan I got a class to teach.” 

He nodded, “sure thing Jack I’ll keep an eye out for anything on approach.  Beauty of a ship that is.”  And disappeared back into the booth, leaving the door open. 

Jack turned back to Caleb and took a breath, “He’s a great kid, talks for days, but hearts in the right place.” 

He nodded, still just looking at her.  

“I’m gonna have to leave you here, C.” she finally said, looking down, “I gotta go prep the gym for the class.  I got like 15 minutes now.” Then she looked him over, memorising is face, “Don’t… Don’t be a stranger, C.” 

She stepped close to him and hugged him gently, but quickly.  He wished it had lasted longer, but was very aware of other eyes on them.  

“Go sit with Evan, he’ll keep you updated.  If his talking gets too much, tell him a story.  That’ll shut him up for a while.  Just watch your language.” She winked and stroked his shoulder. 

Caleb grabbed onto Jack’s wrist as she turned to leave but let go almost immediately, “J…” he stared at her, unsure of the words to use – he was never good with words. 

Instead he just said, “Take care of yourself.” 

The way he said it seemed a little too final for Jack’s liking so she nodded, smiled, and added, “Keep in touch, C.  I wanna know you’re still alive and causing chaos out there. Galaxy needs a little chaos – it’s the natural order.” 

Jack took a couple steps back and they exchanged a certain look that said they knew their paths likely wouldn’t cross again, no matter how much they wanted.  It hurt Jack just a little to turn and walk away from him, but she did.  And he let her.  

In the gym, Jack found that Ensigns Prangley and Warren had already arrived and had begun setting out the training matts just the way she liked. 

“You two lost?” she joked as she headed over, dragging another matt from the pile by the door as she headed toward them.  

They looked up and saluted her, “Morning, Ma’am.” 

“Cut that shit out, we’re not on the front lines anymore.” She waved, pulling the matt into place.  Warren ran to get the last one and Jack lowered herself to the floor, crossing her legs. 

“Thanks for saving me the work.” She yawned, pulling a couple protein bars out her pockets and throwing one to Prangley, then another to Warren when he came close enough. 

They sat with her and didn’t speak for a few minutes.  

“It’s surreal being back.” Warren finally said.  Prangley nodded, shoving the last of his protein bar into his mouth. 

“It’ll feel normal eventually.” Jack brought her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.  She understood of course.  The chaos of a fight was a shock to the system for anyone – it became second nature after only a few weeks and her students had been on front lines for months. Then the quiet and calm of the academy was the polar opposite and would take readjustment.  

At 7am on the dot, the gym doors opened and Kahlee Sanders stepped in with the 3 new boys and the rest of Jack’s squad. 

" Jack, your new students are here." 

Sanders smiled, leading the three teenage boys into the gym.  Jack barely recognised their faces from their files. She stood and walked forward, putting on her best badass-teacher face and looked over them. 

 _Dickinson, Jennings and Wentworth-Smith_ she recited their names in her head so she wouldn’t forget them – though would likely give them nicknames as they trained with her. They looked nervous, and a little scared.  Sanders continued to smile and introduced them, “These three will be with you every morning this week, and extra session on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons until they’re up to speed with the senior students.” She then looked back down to the boys, “This is Jack, she’s your instructor and you should address her as ‘Ma’am’.” 

The three nodded slowly, glancing between Sanders and Jack.  She noticed them eyeing her tattoos and instinctively tensed. 

Kahlee cleared her throat again, "We've had to adjust the settings of Baxter’s amp-" Jack's eyes snapped back to her, brow furrowed.  Sanders continued "his abilities are too unstable for now, so they’ve have been suppressed to a minimum. We'll be able to turn everything back to normal after a few control lessons." 

Jack was still frowning, "I can't teach him control if he can't feel the whole of his energy. It's a waste of time; I’d have to start over when you switch it back." 

He opened his mouth to protest the assumption of his abilities but Jack held up a hand and he shut up. 

"Get the settings turned back up, or I can't do anything with him." 

Sanders nodded respectfully, and brought up her omni-tool display, "I'm sending a message to the tech labs, they'll send someone down." Then she stepped to the side and smiled "I'll leave you to it!" 

Jack watched her leave then looked over the three boys again. 

"I'm supposed to teach you basic instruction first. So how much were you told in your academy inductions?" 

The three stared at her blankly and remained quiet. 

Jack prompted, “What have you been told since arriving here?” 

Still no answer.  

Jack shifted her weight and crossed her arms, “Here’s the basic instruction; when I ask a question you answer, whether you think it’s the right answer or not.  When I give an order, you say ‘Yes Ma’am’ and you do it.  You’re here to train to be soldiers, and I’m gonna treat you like soldiers.  Are we clear?” 

They looked even more frightened, and still said nothing.  

“Are. We. Clear?” she repeated.  Two of them muttered a feeble ‘Yes Ma’am’.  

“I can’t hear you!” 

“Yes Ma’am!” they finally said together.  

Jack nodded and took a few steps back.  Best way for you to learn is to do.  I’m gonna pair you up with your senior classmates and we’re gonna cover basic control techniques.  Dickinson with Rodriguez, Jennings with Prangley, Wentworthy-Smith you’re with me for now, Warrik and Bolton you guys can pair together, Nasir and Watson you guys are gonna demonstrate then pair off together with Bolton and Warrik to work on your barriers, I wanna see that you haven’t gone soft.”

Nasir and Watson, two other senior students, nodded with a smile, said their ‘yes ma’am’s and took their positions in front of the group.    

Jack smiled at the two, suddenly very glad to be back into her teaching routine. 

She nodded in a way that said _I missed you guys._  

They nodded back in a way that said _we missed you too._  

They weren’t long into the demonstration before a tech student arrived to re-adjust Baxter’s amp to its original settings.  Jack wanted to oversee, so she instructed Nasir and Watson to carry on without her – she knew they were more than capable. 

She led Baxter and the tech kid away from the group into what would have been her office had she not chosen to use her quarters instead.  She was impressed with how much the techy knew, and how quick he got the adjustments right, but there were a couple tweaks Jack added – she knew amps better than most people and showed them both a few of her tricks.  Afterward, Baxter was smiling and Jack sent the techy back to his duties.  

When they re-joined the group, the demonstration was over so she recapped and sent the groups off to practice.  

“I can’t keep calling you Wentworthy-Smith, it’s too long of a name to be yelled, okay? So you’re gonna get ‘Bax’, okay?” 

“Yes Ma’am.” He said, still smiling.  

She nodded, “You got a lot of power in you, more than these guys, which is why you’re having more issues with control.  The changes we’ve made to your amp should help but only a little.  So for now, you’re just gonna show me what basics you know, let me get a look at how you’re moving and handling your force, then we’ll come up with a plan you’re comfortable with for conditioning and control.” 

“Yes Ma’am.”   

Jack smiled wider and gestured for him to begin. 


End file.
